Sound-picture printer



Jan. 6, 1931. F. LA GRANDE SOUND PICTURE PRINTER Filed Sept. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l @Q A. w m 3% Wm M M R n. MM 1|. l| WA mm W 1 fl m I 1 m 11% M Q. j r

Jan. 6, 1931. LA GRAND]: 1,788,308

SOUND PICTURE PRINTER Filed Sept. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEg T0 BY Xa w W A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK LA QRANDE, OI COYTESVILILE, NEW JERSEY. ASSIGNOR TO PARAMOUNT PUBLIX CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK. N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SOUND-PICTURE PRINTER Application filed September 25, 1929. Serial No. 394,946.

This invention relates to the printing of sound motion pictures and more particularly to certain improvements in sound picture printers which simplify and facilitate the 5 printing .of sound picture positives. of the type in which the sound track is located at the edge of the same film that carries the action,

from two separate negative films carrying. respectively, the action and the sound.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 a view taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2 showing the general features of a motion picture printing machine to which the present invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view onthe line2 20f Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is av front elevation ofthe printing mechanism shown in F 1;

Fig. 1 is a section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1-;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the masking mechanism of Fig. 1 with the parts in a different position; v

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the sound mask in masking position:

25 Fig. 7 is'a view of a fragment of a positive film with the sound track printed thereon; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the same film showing the addition of the action thereto.

Referring to thedrawings in "detail, the printer shown in Fig. 1 comprises lamp house casting 1 in the chamber of which. as will be understood, is mounted an incandescent lamp, not shown. Adjacent the lamp house 35 casting 1 is a connecting portion comprised of upper and lower walls 2 and3. respectively,

and side walls 1. the opening between these walls being in communication with the chamber of the lamphouse 1 and forming a light conduit to the printing aperture hereinafter referred to. The walls 2. 3 and 1 merge into a hollow cylindric casing portion extending outwardly therefrom. The cylindric cas ing portion 5 has a horizontal bore 6 which 5 is in the plane of the light conduit formed by the walls 2, 3 and 4 and opens thereinto.

Passing transversely across the light conduitis a sprocket shaft 7. this sprocket shaft carrying a pair of spaced sprocket wheels'8 and 9 which are disposed in line with the light conduit. At the opposite sides'ot' the sprockets 8 and 9 from the lamp house casting 1 there is provided in the cylindrical case 5 a rectangular opening or cut through which thesprockets extend to engage the films which are shown at 10 and 11.

A curved plate 19. is secured in the bore 6 below the rectangular cut through which the teeth of the sprockets extend and extends upwardly beyond the lower edge thereof to provide the lower edge of the'printing aperture as shown at 13.

Above the printing aperture is a curved block l t-suitably secured to the upper wall :2 by screws 15. This block is provided on its underside with a plate or bracket 16 carrying a pivot 17 on which are mounted sound mask 18 and action mask 19, each in the form of a curved plate at the printing aperture 13. Secured to the sound mask 18 and rotatable on the pivot- 17 is a pinion 20. while secured to the action mask 19 and rotatable on the pivot 17 is apinion 21.

The bracket 16 to the rear of the pivot 17 is provided with another pix'ot .22 on which are pivoted for independent motion toothed segments 23 and 21; the segment 2 cooperating with pinion :20 and segment 21 with pinion 21, so that when the segment 23 is rocked on its pivot the sound mask will be moved downwardly away from thejlight aperture and when the sector 2-1 is operated the action mask 19 will be moved downwardly away from the light aperture. It will be appreciated that the action mask 19 and sound mask 18 are movable independently of each other. v

The sector 23 is provided with a rearward extension 25 having a lug 26m which is secured one end of a coil spring 27, the other end of which bears against the block 14, this spring being .so mounted that it will maintain the sound mask in masking )OSltlOll. Likewise the sector 24 is provided with a rearward extension 28 having a ing 29 to which is secured one end of a coil spring 30, the other end of which is secured to the block 14. this spring being sqdisposed as normally to maintain the action mask in masking position.

From the description thus far given, it will be seen that if a negative film and positive film 11 be moved by the sprockets 8 and 9 past the light aperture 13 no exposure will be made by light from the lamp house 1 passing through the light aperture 31 unless one or the other of the masks 18 and 19 is the block 14, the lower ends of these screws projecting through the block and the screw 32 engaging the extension 28 onthe sector 24:, while the screw 33 engages extension 25 on the sector23.

In operation, assuming that the sound bination a pivoted sound mask and a pivoted track is first to be printed from a negative 10 on which the ,sound' has been photographed, this negative and an unexposed positive 11 are threaded into the machine upon the sprockets 8 and 9. The screw 33 is then screwed downwardly sufiiciently to move the segment 23 against the action of its spring 27 and through the pinion 20- to 'move the sound mask 18 out of the light aperture as illustrated in Fig.1. The films are then run through by rotation of sprockets 8 and 9 until the sound has been recorded.

The positive film 11 is then re-wound and the negative film 10 replaced by another negative film on which an action has been photographed. The screw 32 is then restored to its initial position to permit the spring 27 to restore the sound mask 18 into masking position int-he light aperture, and the other screw 32 is operated so as to carry the sector 24 downwardly against the action of its spring 30 and through pinion 21 to carry the action mask out of the light aperture as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The negative and positive films are then run through the same as before. This completes the operation.

In Fig. 7, the positive film 11 has the sound track printed thereon as shown at 40, in accordance with the first step as above described, while in Fig. 8, 41 designates the action. It is to be understood that the two printing stepsmay be reversed if desired.

- It is to be understood also that changes may be made in the details of construction above described within the purview of my invention.

hat I claim is 1. Printing apparatus for printing sound and motion pictures, comprising in combination a sound mask, an action mask, springs for retaining said masks in masking position,

a gear sector for each pinion, said gear sectors being pivotally mounted, and means for rocking said sectors independentlyto effect independent movement of the masks out of and into operative position.

3. Printing apparatus for printing sound and motion pictures and comprising in combination a pivotally mounted sound mask and a pivotally mounted action mask, a pinion attached to each mask, a gear sector for each pinion, said sectors being pivoted interme-,

diate their ends for independent movement, a spring for each sector engaging the same adjacent its outer end, for maintaining both masks in masking position, and screws manually adjustable for moving said masks independently out of operative position and to maintain them in such position against the action of said springs.

4. Printing apparatus for printing sound and motion pictures and comprising in combination a block, a, sound mask and an action mask mounted therein on a transversely extending pivot, a pinion attached to each mask and mounted for rotation on said pivot, gear sectors mounted on a common pivot extending transversely of said block, said. sectors meshing with said pinions, a pair of springs having one end engaging said block, their other ends engaging said sectors at the ends remote from said pinions to maintain the masks in masking position, and screws for moving said sectors independently against the actionof said springs to move the masks selectively out of masking position and to maintain them in such posltion.

' This specification signed this 21st day of Sept, 1929. I

FRANK LA GRANDE;

and a gear train for each mask. for moving said masks out of operative position independ-' ently against the action of said springs and through said springs to restore the masks to operative position.

2. Printing apparatus for print ng sound and motion pictures and comprising in com- 

